Success! Vandy from Cambodia raised $1,025 to fund a hip replacement.

Vandy’s surgery went well and he’s doing physiotherapy as he begins the recovery process. Vandy will need to work hard over the next six months to rebuild muscle in his leg and hip, which will allow him to regain function. Vandy hopes to return to work as a construction worker as soon as he can.

He says, “I am happy with my surgery’s result. Now I can walk better without pain.”

Vandy's surgery went well and he's doing physiotherapy as he begins the recovery process. Vandy will need to work hard over the next six mon...

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May 3, 2018

Vandy is a construction worker from Cambodia. He has a brother and two sisters. He likes to listen to music and play volleyball with friends.

A few months ago, Vandy started developing pain on his left side. He has difficulty walking and is in chronic pain.

Fortunately, Vandy learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre. At CSC, surgeons can perform a total hip replacement to relieve Vandy of his pain and allow him to walk easily. Treatment is scheduled for May 3, and Vandy needs help raising $1,025 to pay for this procedure.

He says, “After surgery, I hope I can walk normally and without pain anymore.”

Vandy is a construction worker from Cambodia. He has a brother and two sisters. He likes to listen to music and play volleyball with friends...

Vandy's Timeline

Vandy received treatment at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. Medical partners often provide care to patients accepted by Watsi before those patients are fully funded, operating under the guarantee that the cost of care will be paid for by donors.

​What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

Patients typically experience severe hip pain and difficulty walking or standing. By the time Children's Surgical Centre provides treatment, patients have often lived with these symptoms for months or more. A total hip replacement (THR) treats hips that are severely damaged and therefore not amenable to other forms of treatment.

​What is the impact on patients’ lives of living with these conditions?

Patients may not be able to walk or walk normally. Physical activity is extremely restricted, making any movement painful. This prevents patients from carrying out daily life, going to work, attending school, or taking care of themselves and their families.

What cultural or regional factors affect the treatment of these conditions?

Many Cambodians use motorbikes as their main form of transportation. Because of weak traffic laws, motorbike accidents are common. Injured individuals who cannot afford treatment often self-medicate or rely on Khmer traditional healers. Their fractures never heal, and patients live with the pain.
Steroids are a common painkiller in Cambodia. No prescription is required. Individuals who do intense physical labor take steroids regularly, which restricts blood flow to the joints. This causes bone tissue death and tiny bone breaks, making bones more susceptible to breaks and fractures.

Process

Impact on patient's life

Risks and side-effects

Accessibility

Alternatives

What does the treatment process look like?

During a hip replacement, doctors replace both the acetabulum (hipbone socket) and femoral head (head of the femur) with prosthetic implants. Doctors remove the dead or broken bone. A cup is inserted into the acetabulum, and a metal hip prosthesis is inserted into the femur.

What is the impact of this treatment on the patient’s life?

The patient will be able to walk independently without pain, improving quality of life.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

Severe disability, arthritis, and avascular necrosis of the hip can be successfully treated by a THR. This treatment is highly effective, with few risks.

How accessible is treatment in the area? What is the typical journey like for a patient to receive care?

Most Cambodians visit Khmer traditional healers before seeking modern medical care.
As recently as ten years ago, a THR was unavailable in Cambodia. Children's Surgical Centre is one of the few centers that provides this procedure.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

Younger patients can elect to undergo hip fusion surgery and postpone the THR until later in life. The duration of the prosthesis is 10-15 years.